The top 20 of the second annual Beverly Gran Prix Criterium reads like a who’s who of New England cyclocross. When reigning national cyclocross champion Tim Johnson bridged to Jesse Anthony and Gavin Mannion, a cyclocrossers’ sweep of the podium was all but guaranteed. Johnson, who helped to organize the event, and Anthony both call Beverly, Massachusetts home, and 19 year-old Mannion hails from Dedham, Mass.

As an added incentive to cyclocross racers, anyone who raced the Gran Prix of Gloucester cyclocross race in either 2008 or 2009 was eligible for a special Cyclocross Competition. The top-placed ’crosser in every criterium category received free entry to the 2010 Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester in Stage Fort Park.

Mannion initiated the move off the front of the pack, and was soon joined by Anthony. The duo built a sizable lead over the chase group, which included Johnson. “I thought they [Mannion and Anthony] were gone. I didn’t think I was going to catch them,” Johnson told the Salem News. “We had a chaser group come out and we made up about half the ground. Then I went and made the jump alone. You use everyone you can to help out just a little bit.”

The three ’crossers lapped the field with 10 laps remaining. Johnson and Anthony promptly rode through the field and attacked off the front once again. Mannion got held up in traffic and would have to settle for third.

Anthony then started his sprint early, but Johnson held tough and came around him on the final corner to take the win – and the Massachusetts State Criterium Championship in the process. Mannion’s result was good enough to land him in the U23 state champion’s jersey.

In the Women’s race, it was Boston’s Bike Czar and former Olympian Nicole Freedman taking the win, just in front of last year’s victor Rebecca Wellons. A crash with just one and a half laps remaining split the field, narrowing the finishing sprint down to just seven contenders. Notable results by other ’crossers included Lyne Bessette taking fifth after doing a good deal of the work to bring back an early breakaway, Andrea Smith eighth, Mo Bruno Roy 9th and Kerry Litka 12th.

“I’m glad it went well,” Freedman told the Beverly Citizen. “The Wheelworks team is new this year, so to get a win for the team is great.”

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